Preps Plus

Spindler comes up big

You'd expect some blocked shots from a guy 6-foot-7, especially being the tallest guy on the court by three inches.

Well, Woodlan senior Jason Spindler delivered six big blocks against Garrett on Friday in a 38-35 win in the ACAC boys basketball opener.

It was a good thing the 6-7 Spindler and the Woodlan defense showed up, too, because the offense didn't. Hurt by 14 second-half turnovers, the Warriors' offense sputtered with only 17 points and 39 percent from the field for the game.

But Spindler and Co. came through on defense, holding Garrett to 27 percent from the field. The Railroaders missed their first 12 shots of the fourth quarter and fell behind by 11 points before putting on some defensive pressure of their own and cutting the lead to two points late in the game.

It was Spindler's intimidating presence inside that help the defending ACAC champion Warriors get off to a 1-0 start in league play.

- By Greg Jones, The Journal Gazette

Byrd set to fly high

Russell Byrd must be the real deal.

Or at least Purdue men's basketball coach Matt Painter thinks so.

The 6-foot-6 Blackhawk Christian sophomore was the subject of a visit by the Boilermaker boss to the Braves' 58-48 win over Fremont on Saturday.

All offseason I have heard about how good Byrd was as a freshman. He had grown and played well in AAU.

Although he struggled shooting (2 of 16 from the field) and only had eight points, you can see the potential.

He got five rebounds and when he learns to be more aggressive, will get more. He is athletically gifted and possess a nice looking jump shot with nine of his shots being three-pointers (he missed all nine, though).

With Byrd and senior Dayton Merrell, the No. 5 Braves should make a good run in the Class A tournament in the spring.

- By Greg Jones, The Journal Gazette

Luers rises again

Seven was certainly heaven for Bishop Luers on Friday.

The Knights claimed the school's seventh state championship at the RCA Dome in a 21-6 win over Heritage Christian.

Who would have guessed it after last year's 3-8 record? The worst in some time for the Knights. But now more than 365 days later, Luers is champs of 2A again.

The Knights (11-4) are a far cry from where they were last year. Luers coach Matt Lindsay went from frustrated to frustrating the last two opponents defensively with only six points allowed in eight quarters. It was Lindsay's sixth state championship as a head coach at Luers.

The pep rally to honor the 2A champion Knights will be Monday at 2:15 p.m.

- By Greg Jones, The Journal Gazette

Bishop Luers leads 7-0

Bishop Luers leads Heritage Christian 7-0 in the Class 2A state title game after three quarters on Friday at the RCA Dome.

It took almost three quarters, but the Knights got the big scoring play when Quinn Schafer hit Adrien Spencer with a 71-yard touchdown pass with 2:16 left in the third. The drive covered 84 yards and took only three plays and 42 seconds.

Ninth-ranked Bishop Luers (10-4) broke out of a scoreless halftime tie.

On the bright side, the Luers defense continues to shine and has stopped the vaunted spread offense of unranked Heritage Christian. The Eagles were averaging 37 points per game coming into the game.

Tyquan Hammock was leading the defense, including a big hit on HC quarterback Garrett Meador, who fumbled the ball.

That gives Luers seven straight shutout quarters in the semistate and state finals combined.

The attendance was announced at 12,739, but wasn't nearly that much because a lot of those came to see Sheridan and junior quarterback Nick Zachary's 34-28 win over Rockville in the Class A title game right before.

- By Greg Jones, The Journal Gazette

2A title game scoreless tie at half

Bishop Luers is in a scoreless tie with Heritage Christian in the 2A state title game on Friday at the RCA Dome.

The No. 9 Knights (10-4) have a missed field goal, a blocked field goal, a fumbled punt and a missed pass on a fake punt.

Luers has held Heritage Christian (13-1) to 80 total yards. The Knights haven't been scored upon in the last 1 1/2 games.

Luers has only 153 yards of total offense.

- By Greg Jones, The Journal Gazette